No one disputes the fact that obesity is a major problem in this country. Bottom line, Americans are fat. Reversing that epidemic is the problem and we just can't agree on the best way to do that. Well, Los Angelinos think they may have the answer. The city council has just declared "Meatless Mondays."
The idea behind it is that meat consumption isn't just a big contributor to weight problems, it has also been linked to heart disease as well as colon, prostate, kidney, and breast cancers. "Eating less meat can prevent and even reverse some of our nation's most common illnesses," said councilwoman Jan Perry, who led the motion. Translation: meat is evil. While I applaud this noble attempt to make citizens healthier, this plan is destined to fail.
The problem isn't just meat. It's just a convenient bad guy. Yes, being a vegetarian can be a healthy lifestyle, but it's not always. I have seen plenty of pudgy people who don't eat meat. This whole initiative glosses over the real problem -- which is portion control. We are a gluttonous bunch whether we are noshing on steak or soy patties.
So, if people attempt to go meatless on Monday, I bet they will still fill their plates with fatty and high calorie foods: pasta loaded with cheese, veggies soaked in better, fried fish. Added the councilmen: "We've become disconnected in some ways from the simple truth that our health is directly affected by the foods we eat." I give people more credit than that. In this day and age, everyone knows that unhealthy food will make you unhealthy. That is no big secret. Though even with that knowledge, people still want more for their money.
They don't want 8-oz. steaks and palm-size broiled fish fillets. They want to feel stuffed. And they want delicious, mouth-watering, savory meals. Not baked cod with a dash of salt or steamed broccoli without butter. This is a problem, of course. People have to want to make sacrifices to get healthier. But cutting out meat one day a week still isn't the answer. They need to get people thinking about how much they put in their mouths, not just what they consume. So what if they give up meat one day if they gorge on it the six other days of the week?
There are plenty of people who have meat in their diets who are healthy. Perhaps there are lessons we can learn from them -- grill instead of frying; cut back on butter and oil; eat fish at least a couple times a week; make sure that half the plate is filled with veggies. I bet those kinds of changes will have a more lasting effect on our health overall.
Do you think "meatless Mondays" are a good idea?
Image via The Marmot/Flickr
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Comments 13
I think it's interesting, but really the biggest problem in the American diet aside from the overeating and preservatives and chemicals is probably the lack of fiber. A meal that consists of meat and cheese and bread is very common here and I used to be the average American who hardly had any fiber in their diet. It sucked, I was fat and tired and my stomach always hurt. So when you have a steak eat some green beans on the side, they're soooo good with a bit of butter! Or if you have a burger pile on the veggies and then have a snack of veggies later. It's not perfect, but it would be a vast improvement. I can't think of something as cute sounding as 'Meatless Monday' for the more fiber thing, though. So yeah! Meatless Monday! Goooo lentils and things!
Billsfan....I think this went over your head. This is not an actual LAW, more like a suggestion. Kind of like how you have a donut day or a sundae day, or national pizza day, this is following that guideline but just in the opposite. You can choose to eat the meat or not. You will not be taxed. You will not be fined. Nothing will happen to you if you do. It's a health initative kind of saying that maybe eating a vegetarian diet once a day will help improve your heatlh. No one is banning anything. No one is telling you not to do it. Its a suggestion, just like how they say you should eat the five food groups daily for a balanced diet.
Stupid hippies and libtards. Just try to legislate WTF I eat, and you'll STFU for good.
Meatless Monday dates back to World War 1 and has a pretty lenghty history. It is really interesting to read about it. I have been seeing so many more signs for people to become aware of it here, in Cincinnati, OH. I am a vegetarian and so are my two kids and husband and it makes me happy to see people taking notice that change is coming! Animals are living creatures who give birth, have feelings, and want to live their lives.